The National Times - News around the clock from Sydney, Australia and around the world

Anxious and error-prone Fiji fought back to beat fading Georgia 17-12 on Saturday and remain on course for the World Cup quarter-finals, pushing Australia to the brink of elimination.

Key quotes on Saturday after the second day of this weekend's Ryder Cup, at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome:

Patrick Cantlay on Saturday said the Ryder Cup was about "representing our country" after reports the American was staging a protest over the fact players are not paid at the event.

Patrick Cantlay kept alive United States' slim chances of ending a 30-year European Ryder Cup hoodoo with a dramatic and tension-packed late win in Saturday's final fourballs match which cut their opponents' lead to five points.

At least nine miners were killed after a shaft in a Zimbabwean gold mine collapsed, an engineer at the site and the miners federation said Saturday.

Rory McIlroy said Europe would use the Americans' wild celebrations on the 18th green after Patrick Cantlay's winning putt in their match as "fuel for the fire" in Sunday's Ryder Cup singles.

Since Azerbaijan's army overran the Nagorno Karabakh enclave in a lightning offensive last week, nearly 90 percent of the region's ethnic Armenian population have fled out of fear of the victorious force.

The United States gave themselves a glimmer of hope of retaining the Ryder Cup as Patrick Cantlay holed a 30-foot putt on the final green on Saturday to reduce Europe's lead to 10.5-5.5 ahead of the closing singles.

Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for a trip to England to face Newcastle United in the Champions League by drawing 0-0 away to Ligue 1 strugglers Clermont on Saturday.

Ott Tanak built up a commanding lead in the Chile Rally on Saturday, the 2019 world champion winning two of the middle day's three opening stages.

With the US government just hours from shutting down on Saturday, Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy pitched a last-gasp stopgap measure to avoid a closure that would throw into doubt everything from access to national parks to Washington's massive support for Ukraine.

Manchester City's perfect start to the Premier League season came to an end in a shock 2-1 loss to Wolves on Saturday.

Bayer Leverkusen went one point clear at the top of the Bundesliga after a 3-0 win at struggling Mainz although Bayern Munich can regain pole position later on Saturday.

Manchester City's perfect start to the Premier League season came undone in a shock 2-1 loss to Wolves, as Manchester United slumped to a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The US government was just hours from shutting down on Saturday as Republicans and Democrats pursued rival stopgap measures to prevent a closure that would throw into doubt everything from access to national parks to Washington's massive support for Ukraine.

Bayer Leverkusen went one point clear at the top of the Bundesliga after a 3-0 win at struggling Mainz although Bayern Munich can regain pole position later on Saturday.

Hollie Doyle and Trueshan put up a stunning front running performance to land the Group One Prix Cadran on Saturday, the first day of the meeting that climaxes with Europe's most prestigious race the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Hosts China romped to gold in the men's and women's 100m at the Asian Games as North Korea's weightlifters scorched several world records on an action-packed Saturday.

Dozens of demonstrators took to the streets of Brussels on Saturday to protest sex education courses in schools, which have sparked controversy in the French-speaking part of the country.

Fly-half Nicolas Sanchez scored 20 points as Argentina beat Chile 59-5 on Saturday in Nantes to remain in contention for a place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

Philippines pole vaulter EJ Obiena cruised to gold in an Asian Games record on Saturday -- and then said he missed not having record-breaker Armand Duplantis to compete against.

Reigning Giro d'Italia champion Primoz Roglic pipped compatriot Tadej Pogacar to victory in the Giro dell'Emilia on Saturday hours after announcing he will exit Dutch team Jumbo-Visma at the end of the season.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is in "stable" condition a day after undergoing hip surgery, and began physical therapy Saturday morning, his doctors announced.

A Rome-bound aircraft departed on Saturday from Libya's capital, restarting flights to Italy after a nearly decade-long suspension due to an EU ban, authorities in Tripoli said.

China claimed a 100m sprint double at the Asian Games on Saturday as Xie Zhenye and Ge Manqi delighted the home crowd in Hangzhou.

Jose Mourinho insisted Saturday he has no fear for his future despite Roma's floundering start to the Serie A season.

North Korean weightlifters shattered a slew of world records at the Asian Games on Saturday on their return to international competition after four years, surprising one Chinese rival whose mark was obliterated by their exploits.

The United States are fighting back against a European Ryder Cup tide as the holders lead in two of four Saturday afternoon fourballs matches in Rome.

Ollie Watkins made his case for an England call-up with a hat-trick as Aston Villa powered to a 6-1 demolition of Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.

Australia are "aware of the risk" of carrying Travis Head in their World Cup team despite an injury and hope the opener will recover soon, chief selector George Bailey said.

Veteran New Zealand hooker Dane Coles on Saturday said the All Blacks would not be getting carried away with their stunning 96-17 dismantling of Italy at the Rugby World Cup.

The flood of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh dwindled to a trickle Saturday as Armenia said nearly the entire population of the breakaway territory had already fled after Azerbaijan seized back control.